This week, I am super excited to introduce Style Blog Style-Off, a new series of posts featuring some of my favorite brands (and products), and cool people that love them as much as I do!

Today’s style-off item is a pair of amazing H&M Floral Pants ($14.95) that I literally had to stalk for weeks on end…until they were finally mine! *insert maniacal laughter here* My friends Kim, Jo, and Septembre also seemed to love these kick-ass floral trousers, and happily obliged when I challenged them to a style-off. I told them to bring it…and they sure did!

So here’s where you come in! Take a peek at the looks below, and vote on your fave look (or looks). The winner gets the glory of being the first ever Style Blog Style-Off winner, and I’ll also buy them a drink…So obviously, the stakes are extremely high. And if in the process, you get some styling inspiration out of it – even better.

Summer was here for a minute, and now the cooler temperatures are here to stay for a bit…or at least that’s what the unreliable weatherpeople tell us. So last week, as the last hurrah, I tried to wear as many summery outfits as possible, including a pair of my trusty boyfriend jeans. They are probably the most comfy pair I own…and I love wearing them both to bum around the house, and out to dinner. They are so versatile! I also threw on my new mint-colored tee from Zara to add a pop of pastels to my outfit. It’s not for everyone, but I think I kinda like it.

Remember that scene from Pulp Fiction? The one with Uma’s character at a diner? Remember what she was wearing? Yup…a white button-up. Back then, I was in love with her red lips, blunt bangs, and her (character’s) style. All because of a white shirt. Fast-forward a few years later to that episode of Sex and the City, in which Carrie goes home in a borrowed (from Big) white button-up worn as a dress. Who can forget that?

Truth is, most of you probably own a button-up or two, but how do you wear it? Working downtown, I see it all the time: white shirt + work pants = sensible and boring. But there’s a reason a white button-up is such a staple…all together now…it goes with (nearly) everything.

Next time you grab the boring grey slacks in the morning, choose something with a little more pop, like Anh’s gorgeous floral skirt – both appropriate for the office, and not at all snooze-worthy. For date nights, pair your white shirt with a punchy maxi skirt, or wear it knotty over a colorful maxi dress. And yes, I do realize that Emily’s shirt isn’t exactly a button-up, but isn’t that a perfect date-night look? Chic, sexy, and elegant, all at the same time. I’ll definitely be “borrowing” this one.

Last, but not least, you can always dress down your button-up. Wear it with cut-off denim shorts or skinny jeans for an easy, all-American look.

How do you wear your white button-up? Is it one of your stylish staples? Share in the comments!

Welcome to our new segment – Stylish Staples! After discovering that I only wear like 20% of my wardrobe ALL.THE.TIME., I’ve decided to see what makes those items such staples. And well, unsurprisingly, I wear them so often, because they are stylish, and easy to wear with other items in my closet.

Each week, I’ll share one Stylish Staple of mine, showcase how other stylish bloggers wear those staples in their everyday lives, and perhaps help you enhance your wardrobe along the way. If you have staple suggestions, or would like to be featured, please shoot me an email.

This week’s staple is (perhaps predictably) a striped top. I own dozens of striped tops, mostly in a classic Breton stripe, and literally wear them at least once a week. Striped tops can be worn with almost anything to (almost) any occasion. A simple striped top adds some flare to a basic outfit, and amps up your chicness quotient.

Wear your striped top to the office like Kristy, by pairing it with a pencil skirt, some grown-up pumps, and a trench coat. Rock it on the weekend, a la Liz, by doing your best Audrey Hepburn impression in a pair of cropped trousers, and some lovely flats. Or show off your sexy side like Sharon, by pairing your demure stripes with a killer necklace, and some short shorts. Just like a Little Black Dress is a must-have for every woman out there, a striped top should be too!

Are you a lover of stripes? How do you wear them? Share in the comments.

WHAT I WORE

WHO IS NELIA?

Nelia Belkova is a Toronto-based fashion and lifestyle blogger by night and a financial analyst by day. She loves to travel, read gossip sites, eat sweets, and cuddle up to her husband and her cat on the couch. Read More…